An open-air sculpture museum
While walking through the Principality, you will discover the numerous sculptures scattered on the Rock, in the Fontvieille area or in Monte-Carlo
Whether they are in the effigy of the great historical figures of the Princely Family, such as François Grimaldi, Charles III, Albert I, Rainier III, or Princess Grace, or whether they are resolutely contemporary, the sculptures of the Principality are even part of official itineraries to discover them.
From the Boulingrins Gardens to the Casino Terraces
In the heart of Monte-Carlo, you will find the bust of Prince Charles III, by Roland Mathieu Meusnier, which is not a coincidence since the area was named in his honor in 1866
Exploring the Jardins de la Petite Afrique, you will find the amazing "Slate Cone for Little Africa" and "Le Dimétrodon", respectively sculpted by Andy Goldsworthy and Claude Lalanne.
But it is in the center of the Place du Casino that one of Monte-Carlo's masterpieces is revealed: "Sky Mirror", by Anish Kapoor. And around the square, numerous busts of artists, such as those of composers Jules Massenet and Hector Berlioz, or Serge de Diaghilev, to whom we owe the creation of the Ballets Russes, testify to the importance given to art and culture in Monte Carlo.
Finally, if you go around the Opera House and take a walk on the Casino Terraces, you will be able to admire three works of art from the 20th and 21st centuries: Manolo Valdes' "Reina Mariana", Fernando Botero's "Adam and Eve" and Victor Vasarely's mosaic, "Hexa Grace" on the roof of the Rainier III Auditorium.
On the Place d'Armes side
Thanks to a pedestrian path, visitors can discover the greatest works of Rodin, Bourdelle, Léger, Renoir, Arman or César, located in the Fontvieille district.
The UNESCO garden, for example, will allow you to observe Ferdinand Léger's mosaic, "The Three Musicians", but also "Renaissance" by Kim Hamisky, "The Fist" by César, "The 7th Day" by Montalbano, the "Crouching Bathing Girl" by Bourdelle or "Marta Accovacciata" by Giuseppe Bergomi.
As for the Fontvieille landscape park, it is full of wonders to discover, such as "La Grande Laveuse" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Richard Guino, "Woman smoking a cigarette" by Botero, "Evolution" by the Monegasque sculptor Emma de Sigaldi, "Hommage aux éléphants de cirque" by Rolf Kine, or "Motophant" by Arman.
This list is far from being exhaustive, because in Monaco, styles, origins and eras mix harmoniously and highlight the Principality's international artistic heritage.
From the Place de la Visitation to Fort Antoine
On the heights of the Rock, some remarkable works of art are nestled, most of which pay homage to the great names that have made the Principality what it is today. For example, there is a bust of Louis Aureglia, twice president of the National Council, made by a certain Paul Belmondo, father of the actor we all know.
In the same way, the Saint-Martin Gardens, just next to the Oceanographic Museum, house, among many other sculptures, the statue of the founder of the Museum, Prince Albert I, as well as the majestic representation of Princess Grace. And near the Palace of Justice, the busts of Princes Louis II and Honoré II, as well as of Saint Nicolas, protector of children and patron of the National Committee of Monegasque Traditions, stand proudly. Finally, you will cross the path of the statue of Prince Rainier III when you reach the Place du Palais by the stairs from the Place d'Armes
In the Place du Palais, you will probably notice the statue of a mysterious man, covered with a large cloak: it is François Grimaldi, known as "Malizia", who seized the Prince's Palace by trickery in the 13th century. A little further on, in the same square, "Science discovering the riches of the ocean", sculpted by Constant Roux, pays tribute to the work carried out by Prince Albert I. From the Place du Palais, you are only a ten-minute walk from Fort Antoine, where you can admire Alex Cassel's "Man and Child"
But alongside all these remarkable works, one name in particular has left its mark on the Rock: François-Joseph Bosio, a Monegasque sculptor, whose bust can be seen on the side of the Place de la Mairie
Among the works of the artist: "the nymph Salmacis", one of the main characters of the myth of the Greek god Hermaphrodite, which is found alongside the Ministry of State. A sculpture that is now used as a statuette for the famous Monte Carlo Television Festival, where the Golden Nymphs are awarded.
The Pavillon Bosio: art at the heart of learning
The name of this eminent Monegasque sculptor was chosen for the Principality's famous École Supérieure d'Arts Plastiques (ESAP). Although it was originally a simple drawing school, then a school of Fine Arts, it now delivers diplomas equivalent to Bac+3 and Bac+5. The students, admitted by competitive examination, receive a multi-faceted training in art and scenography.
The canvases of Monaco
Of course, the Principality is not only known for its second art! If Monaco has been a true source of inspiration for painters from all over the world, the Principality is also the birthplace of some artists, who are now exhibited internationally. In parallel, the New National Museum of Monaco contains several thousand pictorial works, in permanent or temporary collections
The great names of Monegasque painting
Three national painters have particularly marked the artistic heritage of the Principality
First of all, Claude Gauthier, born in 1936, who first made a career in the Public Security of Monaco before starting his own business. Known for his canvases and postcards with colors that are, to say the least, vibrant, he is particularly inspired by the festivities and major events of the Rock to paint. Named Officer of the Order of Cultural Merit, he is exhibited at the Anatole Jakovsky International Museum of Naive Art in Nice, and was exhibited at the Jardin Exotique in Monaco in 2016.
Next comes Philippe Pastor, born in 1961, who is known for his abstract expressionism. The contemporary artist represented Monaco at the Venice Biennale of Visual Arts in 2007 and 2009. His works recall his great commitment to the protection of the environment, so he does not hesitate to use raw materials and natural elements in his artistic creations.
Finally, Caroline Bergonzi, born in 1972, now a New York resident, is also a reference in abstract art. Generally practicing acrylic, oil and oil on metal painting, she has exhibited her paintings, but also her bronze and steel sculptures, on several occasions in Monte-Carlo
The New National Museum of Monaco
Spread over two buildings - the Villa Paloma and the Villa Sauber - the New National Museum of Monaco (or NMNM) houses more than 10,000 works of art with a strong contemporary imprint, mainly produced between the 19th and 20th centuries in the permanent collection. Sculptures, ceramics, paintings, drawings and prints relating to the Principality and its surroundings are on display, alongside temporary exhibitions that present the work of international artists, brought together around the same theme
The art of the image
The Audiovisual Archives and Cinema Tuesdays
This is one of the Principality's major weekly events: every Tuesday since 2004, the Audiovisual Archives of Monaco have invited spectators to discover films by authors or art house films, generally old ones, shown at the Théâtre des Variétés. Short films are regularly shown as the first part of the screening
Generally speaking, the Audiovisual Archives of Monaco's mission is to collect, preserve, archive and promote the Principality's cinematographic and audiovisual memory. Today, more than 50,000 documents (short and full-length films, dramas, documentaries, news reports, advertisements, radio broadcasts, recordings of shows, family or amateur films) and 300,000 photographs are carefully preserved, thanks to donations and deposits. The Archives also have a large amount of documentation on cinema, such as books, magazines, press kits, posters and photos of films in which Monaco was used as a setting or as the subject of a scenario. A "Monaco in films" label has even been created
Monaco, a film location par excellence
The Principality has often been used as a setting for major films that have marked the history of cinema. We can mention, for example, The Hand in the Snare, by Alfred Hitchcock (1955), with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, but also GoldenEye, 17th opus of the James Bond saga and released in 1995, of which many scenes were shot in the Casino de Monte-Carlo. The Beetle in Monte Carlo (1977), The Girl on the Bridge, by Patrice Leconte (1999) or, more recently, The Heartbreak (2010) and Iron Man 2 have also benefited from the enchanting setting of the Principality for their filming
Photographs from the past
It is possible to admire old photographs of the Principality and its surroundings on the Monaco4Ever blog, maintained by Jean-Paul Bascoul, a local child. In ten years, this collector has gathered more than 50,000 archive documents, from old photos to stamps and postcards. Associated with the historian Jean-Claude Volpi, they have both written books reviewing the history of the Principality and the French Riviera, through the photographs previously collected.
